RTÉNL Saorview-DTT Public Information

Sam Russell

The Cush wrote: »

This is the latest info from the Saorview website
RTÉNL is currently in the process of developing and testing a free-to-air satellite service, SAORSAT, which will make it possible for 100% of the population to access Irish free-to-air digital television channels and services. This will provide coverage to the homes not covered by SAORVIEW.

RTÉNL expect to be able to make more information publicly available about this new service in late 2011.

......... late 2011. I presume that means ' ...late 2012.' if their performance to date is anything to go by. Launch in late 2009, turned out to be 'trials' launching in Oct 2010, and full launch in 'spring' turns out to mean the end of May.

Do they have calendars in RTE?

watty

Yes, sounds like the original May/June is gone.

I'd say it's to do with extensive on the ground signal level tests from Fringe of Wexford, Donegal, West Cork, Ballycastle Co. Antrim, the only way to be really sure about Dish sizes. Also source of consumer Ka Band LNBFs.

Also the priority now is getting the 2nd Mux on all sites. That precedes Saorsat.

So while original forecast was Q2 2011, it's now looking like Q3 or Q4 2011. They will not be in a rush as ASO is Oct/Nov 2012, so getting the Saorsat running by Oct/Nov 2011 would be fine for them.

Annoying though for people wanting a good single box solution for PVR of Irish + UK TV that is "freesat HD" compatible.

Most of the channels by x10 amount are UK, so full UK compatibility is the important issue as long as the Irish channels all work and can be recorded.

watty

Sam Russell wrote: »

......... late 2011. I presume that means ' ...late 2012.' if their performance to date is anything to go by. Launch in late 2009, turned out to be 'trials' launching in Oct 2010, and full launch in 'spring' turns out to mean the end of May.

Do they have calendars in RTE?

Yes. But BAI keeps creeping in at night and messing them up.

The Pay TV fiasco was BCI/BAI/DCENR delay for over a year. Not RTE.

What is the POINT of the 2nd mux?

Is it for 2nd mux's sake?

A whole lot of extra electricity for what exactly?

The Cush

Sam Russell wrote: »

......... late 2011. I presume that means ' ...late 2012.' if their performance to date is anything to go by. Launch in late 2009, turned out to be 'trials' launching in Oct 2010, and full launch in 'spring' turns out to mean the end of May.

Do they have calendars in RTE?

I assume the Saorsat receiver spec has to be developed and tested now that the satellite is on station.

The Nordig satellite receiver spec only covers Ka-Band atm but Saorsat will probably be an extension of that with conformance testing carried out by Teracom.

Sam Russell

Deleted User wrote: »

What is the POINT of the 2nd mux?

Is it for 2nd mux's sake?

A whole lot of extra electricity for what exactly?

The second mux is to ensure there is too much capacity for DTT. This means that we have to give the DTT capacity away for slapper and shopping channels. The second mux is only needed if a second HD channel is launched, like RTE 1 or TG4. TV3 will not go HD unless they get it for free.

I suspect that the decision to force the early roll-out of the second mux is a product of poor engineering ability within BAI and DCEMR.

mike65

Slapper channels? Love to see that.."Joe, speaking as a mother..."

Sam Russell

mike65 wrote: »

Slapper channels? Love to see that.."Joe, speaking as a mother..."

They will be done in the best possible taste.

watty

There is NOT too much Capacity.

Don't forget in less than 3 years we may have RTE1, RTE2, TV3 and TG4 in HD.

If either the Film Channel or 3e was in HD also, we would need a 3rd PSB Mux.

RTE spokesperson has agreed with this analysis. There is no extra channel space assuming Oireachtas TV and Film channel. Which are enshrined in the Act.

RTE said though that there would be no problem getting a 3rd PSB mux after ASO (early 2013).

If BAI succeed in finding more channels to launch before 2013, it means that when a 2nd channel goes HD the 3rd Mux might be needed. It raises the cost of the existing channels going HD.

If the BAI wants more channels then they/Government should fund rollout of 2nd Mux or 3rd Mux.

So far the Government has put only demands and no money. Same applies to RTE International on Satellite. Government / BAI / DCENR needs to put money were their mouth is or stop fiddling with the process that should have all been decided and agreed by late 2008 instead of these two post October 2010 "consultations". Where they asleep before?

Certainly approvals of Channel Line ups and "expressions of Interest" and fiddling with Mux Line up should have been complete before October 2010.

This is totally unprofessional "banana republic" behaviour from BAI and DCENR over the last 6 months.

Film channell and oireachtas channel me eye.
The countries broke and rte's finances are shambolic.
RTE1 plus one is a waste of space.
rte gold is another gom of a radio channel.

The uk are able to get 4 hd channels on one mux and can take a 5th which is all we need.

More nonsense from people devoid of commercial reality making work for themselves me thinks whilst you and I look on paying for it with an eu imf bail out.

watty

They are using DVB-T2.

I agree about RTE1+1 Pointless.
All the extra RTE DAB radio channels are (a) Too low quality. (b) Why?

The Oireachtas channel should be on air. It's been ready for 5 years. It might not be fun, but is important. It should be FTA on Sky/Freesat. No Rights issues. maybe Time Share with RTE International.

The film channel is a nice idea, but as you say, where does the the Irish Film Board get the money? It makes a mockery of the Legislative process to insist on stuff like RTE International, Oireachtas TV and Film Channel with first solving the funding issues.

The Commercial reality is the only possible contender would be UTV instead of TV3 (not possible for Advertising to support both). I can think of no other viable channel line ups.

So we should have 1 Mux
RTE1 (HD later)
RTE2 (HD now)
UTV (HD now)
TG4 (HD Later)
Combined RTE News/International/Oireachtas TV on DTT and 28.5E.

Radio (min 128K AAC or 256K MP2)
RTE1
RTE1 extra/International Radio
2FM
RnG
Lyric
2 x national non-RTE commercial

No other RTE Radio, on DAB, DTT, LW or FM.

2nd Mux when the other channels go HD, Add bilingual Irish (20% time)/English Kids channel with no Imports run by TG4.

There is no point to an RTEjr that's largely Dublin People driven and Imported US & UK programs. Or poor copies of imported programs.

Macy0161

watty wrote: »

There is no point to an RTEjr that's largely Dublin People driven and Imported US & UK programs. Or poor copies of imported programs.

Disagree about RTEjr - even the few irish words and cultural interludes between shows is better, so TV line up wise I think it'd be an addition.

On the Radio front 2XM is also an addition for those of us outside phantom's reach. Ours our too young but I'd see the junior radio station getting some airtime too.

Is there a danger of people dismissing channels because they're outside the target demographic?

Sam Russell

We need channels that use material that originates from Ireland. There is little point in our broadcasters paying out our money to put on second rate US programmes that are freely available on many many satellite channels.

The RTE News Now channel could be improved by making it RTE Factual content, like Prime Time and The Week in Politics, bet shown at a different, earlier, time than on RTE 1.

RTE International is only of some point if shown on satellite.

The Oireachtas Channel is simply a matter of putting it on air. I beleive the stream is available anywhere. Although it is boring stuff, it is important. If the Morriarty Tribunal had been on TV, it would have been a lot shorter, and the witnesses would have been seen to be telling lies, as their body language gives them away.

Why are all RTE channels transmitting 24/7?

gavobrien

The RTE News Now channel could be improved by making it RTE Factual content, like Prime Time and The Week in Politics, bet shown at a different, earlier, time than on RTE 1.

I've always thought that an Irish documentary channel would be a great addition to Saorview. RTE1 +1 is such a waste of space and money, why don't they invest in this instead? RTE and TG4 have had some great documentaries in the archives they could tap into.

Watching The Brendan Voyage in HD would be great :P

Sam Russell

gavobrien wrote: »

RTE1 +1 is such a waste of space and money, why don't they invest in this instead? RTE and TG4 have had some great documentaries in the archives they could tap into.

Watching The Brendan Voyage in HD would be great :P

Could not agree with you more.

RTE + 1 is an attempt to hobble RTE, as is not allowing advertising on RTE News Now which forces them to underfund the channel. The dept and the BAI still hope that someone, anyone, will come along and pay big bucks to run paytv. Even Rupert.

I also think TG4 should be allowed to run an English language channel. It would give a western, country aspect to Irish TV. Or even a Country and Western aspect.

mcwhirter

Sam Russell wrote: »

Could not agree with you more.

RTE + 1 is an attempt to hobble RTE, as is not allowing advertising on RTE News Now which forces them to underfund the channel. The dept and the BAI still hope that someone, anyone, will come along and pay big bucks to run paytv. Even Rupert.

I also think TG4 should be allowed to run an English language channel. It would give a western, country aspect to Irish TV. Or even a Country and Western aspect.

TG4 have an English language channel?, Is that not RTE?

Elmo

mcwhirter wrote: »

TG4 have an English language channel?, Is that not RTE?

TG4 are a separate company. RTÉ provide TG4 with 1 hour of TV each day mainly news but some light entertainment, kids TV and some repeats (scannal, leargas etc). Otherwise TG4 commission in their own shows, bid on international shows and buy sporting rights.

TG4 should be given the opportunity to provide a commercial service.

mcwhirter

gavobrien wrote: »

I've always thought that an Irish documentary channel would be a great addition to Saorview. RTE1 +1 is such a waste of space and money, why don't they invest in this instead? RTE and TG4 have had some great documentaries in the archives they could tap into.

Watching The Brendan Voyage in HD would be great :P

TG4 is a waste of licence paying money anyhow, especially for the 99% who can't understand it.
They should tx it in SD only and put everything else in HD.

mcwhirter

Elmo wrote: »

TG4 are a separate company. RTÉ provide TG4 with 1 hour of TV each day mainly news but some light entertainment, kids TV and some repeats (scannal, leargas etc). Otherwise TG4 commission in their own shows, bid on international shows and buy sporting rights.

TG4 should be given the opportunity to provide a commercial service.

No they shouldn't, they are supposed to be Irish language only yet ads and movies are in english.

Sam Russell

mcwhirter wrote: »

TG4 have an English language channel?, Is that not RTE?

No, RTE are RTE and TG4 are TG4. RTE are based in Donneybrook, while TG4 are based in Baile na hAbhann in the Connemara Gaeltacht, County Galway and are independent of RTE (except financially).

They run a good station on small money. They could do with more output without the constraint of having to do it in Irish.

At least they would create jobs west of the Shannon.

Elmo

mcwhirter wrote: »

TG4 is a waste of licence paying money anyhow, especially for the 99% who can't understand it.
They should tx it in SD only and put everything else in HD.

Regardless of who speaks the language TG4 do a great job with their money. The fact that they have to have Irish Language programming forces them to produce Irish programming. They provide high quality programming from a range of independent producers around the country, buy in quality TV serials (long be fore sky Atlantic got their hands on anything HBO), they buy interesting movies. TG4 is funded by the exchequer up to this year when it will get some of the licence fee and sees its exchequer funding cut dramatically.

mcwhirter wrote: »

No they shouldn't, they are supposed to be Irish language only yet ads and movies are in english.

So either they are only an Irish language channel (which according to you is a waste of the licence fee) or should try to self fund their programming to a commercial service which wouldn't be a waste of licence fee money. Which is it going to be?

Derfil

Can you get the service with a sky dish?

Elmo

Derfil wrote: »

Can you get the service with a sky dish?

You need an aerial and a Saorview STB/IdTV.

Technical guys SaorSat should be available on a Sky dish? Any word on SaorSat?

Apogee

The Cush wrote: »

I assume the Saorsat receiver spec has to be developed and tested now that the satellite is on station.

The Nordig satellite receiver spec only covers Ka-Band atm but Saorsat will probably be an extension of that with conformance testing carried out by Teracom.

I'm not so sure we will ever see a Saorsat certified receiver.

watty

no
www.saortv.info
www.saorview.ie

watty

Apogee wrote: »

I'm not so sure we will ever see a Saorsat certified receiver.

I agree.

However there are ways to make "Freesat HD" more compatible".

Macy0161

Sam Russell wrote: »

The RTE News Now channel could be improved by making it RTE Factual content, like Prime Time and The Week in Politics, bet shown at a different, earlier, time than on RTE 1.

Agree about "The Week In Politics", given how early it's generally recorded. They're able to play clips on 6.1 - the should have it starting after that show on RTE News Now (iirc it doesn't have ads on RTE1).

Prime time is normally live though, isn't it?

Sam Russell wrote: »

RTE International is only of some point if shown on satellite.

Could be just an expanded RTE News Now imo - then it'd basically be down to Satellite costs

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Oireachtas Channel is simply a matter of putting it on air. I beleive the stream is available anywhere. Although it is boring stuff, it is important. If the Morriarty Tribunal had been on TV, it would have been a lot shorter, and the witnesses would have been seen to be telling lies, as their body language gives them away.

Hopefully we'll have a referendum on the "Abbeylara" decision, so the Oireachtas can do the investigating in future anyway, but I agree, such inquries should be televised.

Elmo

RTE News Now

Agreed but also a cost saving measure for the services.

From 6pm

6.1 News
7pm The 11th Hour Live (perhaps renamed 7th hour)
7:30 RTÉ Two sports programming such as Against the Head etc
8:30 Current Affairs Repeats
9 News
9:30 RTÉ One current affairs
10:30 Sports/Business/Arts Update
11:00 The 11th Hour
11:30 Late News
12:00 Foreign International News from EBU partners

Is the week in politics recorded live like The Political Party?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMxLkBF3AiQ

watty

Elmo wrote: »

You need an aerial and a Saorview STB/IdTV.

Technical guys SaorSat should be available on a Sky dish? Any word on SaorSat?

Saorsat seems MIA for May/June. RTE now referring to "end of the year"

It won't work on a Sky Dish.

The Cush

An article in the Irish Indo on launch day of the Saorview publicity campaign said "the launch phase combines TV, radio, online and print activity".

This week's RTÉ Guide (2nd - 8th April) has the first print advert I've seen.